Fireflies
by Kyuunen
Summary: Zell struggles to understand what he feels for Selphie. Perhaps the answer lies among the hidden memories of the past, memories of fireflies at the lighthouse. But though they may have grown up, they're still chasing fireflies. ZellxSelphie


Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. I don't own the original basis of the Final Fantasy VIII. I only own the literal text of this document.  
  
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Fireflies, by KyuuketsukiShounen  
  
The sun was setting, the waves crashed lazily on the shore, and the joyously loud shouts of children punctuated the air. That is, loud shouts of children punctuated the air. Or to be even more correct, loud shouts, whines, and foot-stomps of children punctuated the air.  
  
"Gimme! It's mine!"  
  
'Twas the norm here at the orphanage by the lighthouse. Not that its caretaker was neglectful or abusive - quite the contrary. She was a warm and loving person. The problem was that she was just one person with just one pair of eyes.  
  
"Yoo crybaby! Crybaby-Zell!"  
  
"Don't call me a crybaby!"  
  
Tears and cries ensued. What else could result with Zell and Seifer? So opposite personalities, even at such a young age. It was always this or that. At the moment, the item in question was Zell's favorite teddy bear, held hostage by one Seifer Almasy. Zell sat in the flowerbed, crying his eyes out as Seifer walked away with his prize, but not before sticking his tongue out at Zell for good measure.  
  
For nearly a minute, which as we all know is a child's eternity, Zell was left to be. Crying.  
  
"We hafta do something!" a tiny Quistis said. She looked to her companions, a raggedy doll and a bug she had 'rescued' from the ground. Oh, that's right - and Squall, too. He had gone to blending with the background when Sis had left. "Squall! C'mon!" she ordered, stamping her foot. He merely stood there, seeming a bit shocked by her sudden affront and turned his back to her.  
  
The children left the scene, naively quite sure that Matron would soon come to pick up the pieces, despite the fact that she was inside cooking dinner. But two little ones strayed over to the bawling boy, to inspect the situation.  
  
"Are yoo okay, Zell?" A miniature Selphie questioned. With her, she had brought a tiny Irvine, who seemed to be on pins and needles.  
  
A few sniffles and a wiping of his nose with his arm brought the end of Zell's crying. "Mm-hmm," Zell nodded in reply.  
  
"Why does Seifer have to be so mean?" Selphie asked to no one in particular. She bent over, and looked at the scratches that are a child's battle scars.  
  
"No, Sefie!" The mini-Irvine warned his friend, tugging on her arm. He looked around, nervously. "Seifer might see us!" He whispered with fear.  
  
"So?" Selphie asked, for a moment forgetting her fallen comrade. Zell began to calm down, distracted by the exchange happening before him.  
  
"But Sefie!" He pleaded, "What if he sees us helping Zell an' pushes us?"  
  
"I don't care."  
  
"But Selphie," the boy insisted, "I don't wanna be pushed!"  
  
"Irvy, Zell's our friend!"  
  
"I know, but..." The skittish boy looked from Zell to the orphanage. "I'll go get Matwyn! Seifer can't push me if I hide behind her!" And with that, Irvine ran the orphanage as fast as his little legs could take him. Selphie sighed as she watched his retreating form and plopped beside Zell.  
  
"Sefie?" a sniffling Zell spoke, head to the ground.  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"Thank yoo," he said bashfully.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Yoo helped me," he explained, still embarrassed.  
  
"I hafta help yoo. Yoo're my fwend."  
  
He looked up at her, eyes wide with shock. She smiled at him and he quickly turned his head back to the grass.  
  
"My fwend," he repeated, estranged. "You're my only one, I think. No one else likes me, 'cept for Matwyn."  
  
Selphie shot up in protest. "Nuh-uh! Irvy and Squall and Quisty like yoo!"  
  
"How come they won't help me?"  
  
"I dunno," Selphie confessed as she raised herself off the ground, "but I'll be you're fwend." She smiled at him, dusting the grass of her behind with one hand, while the other extended itself toward the boy.  
  
Zell looked at it, reaching toward it slowly, blushing slightly. He shook it off and grabbed her hand whole-heartedly. She helped heft him up and they stood there, two new 'fwends' watching the sun go down.  
  
"There you are!" A woman's voice interjected into the early evening air. She panted heavily and sweat was evident on her brow. A grateful smile was planted on her face as she ran to Selphie and Zell. She fell to her knees, holding them to her breast. They hugged her back, holding her silky black hair, a bit guilty that they had worried her.  
  
The woman rose from her knees, shooting a slightly peeved look at the kids. "The sun just set! Why are you two out here so late? You're always worrying me!" But her reprimands never had a humbling effect. She wasn't one to speak harshly.  
  
Nonetheless, Selphie pushed past their darkly dressed Matron with a gasp. Selphie jumped about, waving her arms in the air and Zell ran by as well to join her. Matron turned as well and she smiled in surprise. The night was lit up with a hundred fireflies. They floated about lazily, drunken on the summer heat.  
  
Matron stood, watching a universal scene play out before her. A boy and a girl ran about, trying to catch these amazing lights in their hands. They laughed and squealed when they caught one. They groaned with disappointment when they accidentally squished one between their fingers. They gaped as they watched the ones they let go fly off into the night.  
  
It was having fun. It was friendship. It was childhood.  
  
And though Matron knew it wasn't good for her to let them just run around like this, though she knew it was terribly immature, she let them have at least this one night. Because they would only have a few precious years to be children. They would grow up. But not tonight. Tonight they were free. Free to share their light with everyone. Free to spread their wings. Free to let their dreams fly into the night. Tonight they were free. Tonight they were fireflies.  
  
The burst of joy began to fade and the youngsters stopped their play. Their faces were flush from their activity.  
  
"Selphie?" Zell peeped, from between pants.  
  
"Mm-hmm?" She acknowledged him, breathing heavily as well.  
  
"Will we always be together?"  
  
"Yup. Forever."She turned to her companion and smiled. Before she realized what she was doing, Selphie planted a quick peck on his cheek and grabbed his hand. They ran back, Selphie tugging along Zell, who was colored with a boyish blush.  
  
Matron watched as they headed back home, getting smaller and smaller. And smiled.  
  
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So how did you all like this? This is just the prologue to the next few chapters which will be up soon. Yes, I know I should be working on "Interrupted by Fireworks", but I just happened to want to work on this one instead. Well anyway, keep tabs on this, I'll be updating. 


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